Spectacles
by kendranoelle
Summary: A heartwarming little tale about a week in the lives of Mugen, Jin, and Fuu as they make their way towards Nagasaki.


**Disclaimer:** I do not own Samurai Champloo...though I wish I could find a cute little Jin plushie or something...that would be pleasant. So don't sue me, I'm not making money off this...just brain candy I guess.

**Warnings: **The only warnings I really have are random acts of violence (mostly thoughts of how Jin and Mugen would like to kill each other) and Mugen's swearing and crude comments. Also there may be some possible spoilers...Cheers.

**Summary:** A heartwarming tale of a week in the lives of Mugen, Jin and Fuu as they further their quest to Nagasaki. Told in three different points of view. Let me know if that works. Nyar, hope you enjoy and I do welcome all comments, criticism and flames. I apologize for any OOC-ness, I'll try to keep it to a minimum. This is my first Samurai Champloo story. I suck at fanfics...

* * *

_ It just makes me wonder. How can one persevere through so many hardships, yet still be able to bring themselves to smile? How can one remain so trusting and naïve after so many letdowns in the past? It's amazing how one can remain so determined to reach a goal that seems impossible to reach, yet they stand on their tiptoes, stretching to their limit before falling to the ground, broken. How can one prevent becoming broken? How can one avoid falling yet stretch just a little bit further, just a little bit more to reach a goal? I am not able to understand. I don't think I ever will._

The embers were growing cold and the air hung stagnant and warm in the night. There was no breeze. The moon was a hazy yellow, low in the sky, as if the stifling air made it too difficult to go up any further, to reach heaven's zenith.

It was too warm and uncomfortable to sleep. I leaned up against a tree clutching my precious daisho in my left hand. Beads of sweat were working their way in lazy rivulets down my nose. I shifted uncomfortably.

The ape-man (who I might add, is not even worthy of the term, "man", the beast) lay sprawled on his back like an overly satisfied dog, drooling and snoring. It's enough to make one sick. He'd carelessly tossed his "sword" up against a tree next to him. He's completely oblivious to the danger of not having your sword by your side at all times. Idiot.

The girl lay on her side, arm tucked under her head for a makeshift pillow and she was snoring softly. Her hair stuck to her sweaty forehead, bits of fish from dinner stuck to her face, sleeping as though she hadn't a care in the world, as if she was in the safety of her home instead of the wilderness. Unaware of any danger that may or may not be lurking in the forest. Her creature had nested itself in her hair and it appeared to be sleeping.

How can they sleep so soundly, when I can hardly sit still enough to nod off? My glasses slipped down my nose for the fifth time, so I finally removed them and set them on the ground next to me. I don't really need my glasses; to be perfectly honest, I don't know why I wear them, or why I've kept wearing them over these years. I can't even remember when or why I first put them on. They've become a part of me, I guess.

Finally I settle myself so that I'm comfortable. With a loud snort and a rustle of leaves and twigs, the beast that calls himself a "swordsman" turned over onto his stomach. After much shifting and squirming the animal quiets into the rhythmic snores of sleep. The girl doesn't even notice the ruckus that came from right next to her, her creature doesn't appear to have noticed either. I set my right arm on my knee and lay my head in the crook of my arm. I'm still clutching my swords. I attempt to sleep.

No such luck. I had nearly drifted when I felt something tug at the hem of my hakama. It was her creature. Why it decided to come to me I had no idea. I took my right arm off my leg and reached my hand down to the little rodent. It sniffed my hand, stared up at me then it hopped onto my palm gazing at me expectantly. With a twitch of its nose the thing scurried up my arm on to my shoulder. I resisted the urge to throw the thing off of me, for it would cause me to get even warmer than I already was in the dreadful heat. As I tipped my head back against the tree to sleep, with another snort and a groan, the beast rolled back on to his back, belched and commenced scratching himself. Great, now I'm going to have nightmares. Idiot.

* * *

I woke up hungry again. I mean geez! I just ate like...nearly a whole rabbit Mugen caught last night but here I am, my stomach's rumbling! The sun just came up and the air is still as sticky as yesterday. Ew, my hair is sticking to my forehead...aaaack! I hate summer. I sit up and rub my eyes with my fists. Something is missing. Something isn't right. Wha...? Wh...where's Momo?

I frantically look around, my heart racing. I search over by Mugen, who is sprawled out on his back with his hand down his pants... eeeewwww... and he's snoring. God he's disgusting. I look over at Jin, who's sleeping against a tree. There he is! Sneaky little bugger, sleeping on Jin's head...ooh he's not going to like that when he wakes up! I gently coax Momo off Jin's head and into my sleeve, my stomach rumbles angrily. I'm so hungry but not enough to eat Momo, flying squirrels aren't the best thing for an emergency food supply anyway.

I am getting ready to turn around to head to the creek that was near by when I noticed something. Jin wasn't wearing his glasses. I'd never seen Jin without them. Where did they go? Oooh, my stomach ground with hunger, I doubled over clutching my belly. I turned to go when I felt a crunch under my feet. I look down.

Crap.

I squatted down to pick up the ruined spectacles, luckily the glass was only scratched, but the frames were completely bent out of shape, some of the frame had snapped off. I heard one of the jerks begin to stir (Mugen burped loudly and with a loud, long snore rolled over again, hand still in his pants...pig), so I quickly tucked the broken glasses into my obi and I continued on my way to the creek. Momo chirped in my sleeve. He found some sunflower seeds.

The air seemed to be cooler and slightly more refreshing the closer I got to the creek. I wiped my forehead with my sleeve to brush off the hair that was sticking. Just walking in this air is exhausting! A thunderous rumble reminded me that my stomach was quite empty and in desperate need of food. Fortunately for me I saw some wild berries growing in a small thicket by the creek, I hungrily began stuffing them in my face, they'll do until Mugen and Jin wake up to fish for breakfast.

Cleanliness is next to...something-ness. I definitely advocate being clean, being that I am a young maiden, appearances are everything (next to free food, that is). I slip off my sandals and dip my toe into the water, it's tepid. I'm rather thankful, for it is always such an unpleasant experience to bathe in frigid water. I quickly strip and jump into the creek. Momo crawled out of my clothing and promptly scampered away into the forest.

Aaaaah...nothing like a lukewarm bath on a day that's hotter than hell. Hell. Hell? Heeeh...OUCH! Ow-ow-ow-ow-owwwww! I doubled over in the creek, oh it hurt so much! My stomach felt as though it were being ripped out and stomped on, shoved back in, than promptly yanked out again.

A wave of nausea washed over me and I felt faint. I sluggishly made my way back to shore. Everything was hazy and it seemed that I was trudging through bean curd instead of water. Another spasm reverberated through my abdomen. I let out a cry of pain. Shore seemed so far away. Why can't I reach it? Did I really go out that far? I felt so cold and my arms were shivering. I felt a sour taste erupt in my mouth.

Damn.

I promptly threw up the berries I had eaten, as well as any contents that had ever been in my stomach. This was so unladylike. I'm so dizzy, the world is spinning like a pinwheel in a hurricane. Oh god. I need to get to shore. Oh god...

I groaned again as another wave of pain took me.

Night came early I guess.

* * *

There's nothing more god damned annoying than having something tickle you awake. Especially if that something is a rodent. Especially when that rodent tends to stick around an annoying, un-cute broad that does nothing but nag and takes you on a journey that may or may not end, that constantly needs rescuing of some sort, and incessantly bitches about how hungry and tired she is. Shee-yit.

I sat up and ground my knuckles into my eyes. My head throbbed. I am in desperate need for some alcohol. I breathed through my nose loudly, inhaling the warm, muggy air. Not exactly refreshing, nor does it really motivate me to wake up but hell, whatever. I survey my surroundings, the damn four-eyed queer is still asleep, clutching his "precious swords". He loves those damn weapons more than he loves women. Scary. The little bitch isn't here. Probably scrounging up breakfast. I swear, that chick eats more than frickin' horse. I mean shit... there are fat guys that eat less than she does.

Something is nipping at my ankles and I instinctively kick out and Fuu's little rat-thing goes flying. What the hell does it want? Can't it go bug Jin for awhile? Or better yet, go drown itself in the creek... or something. The rat dragged itself up and shook its head and then scurried back over to me chirping and squeaking incessantly (kind of like how Fuu constantly nags...). My stomach growls. Shit. I'm hungry.

The little critter is pulling at my jacket with its little teeth, squawking.

"Shut the hell up you frickin' rat!" I hissed at the thing as I flick it away from my jacket. I stand up and begin stretching. God sleeping on the ground really blows. My back is killing me. The rat keeps squeaking and chirping, nipping at my ankles and darting around me as I stretch. How the hell can that bastard Jin sleep through this noise? Why won't that thing just go away and annoy Fuu for awhile?

I'm still really tired.

My stomach rumbled menacingly, warning me that if I don't eat soon I'm gonna get my ass kicked in someway or another. Goddamn. I remembered there was a creek nearby, I 'spose I could go fish for some breakfast. I turned away from the campsite and casually strolled towards the creek. Fuu's animal was scurrying in front of me, squeaking frantically. Weird ass thing.

I finally got to the creek and inhaled deeply. Something didn't smell right. There was a faint acrid smell in the air. I look around and notice there's something in the creek. The rat is going frickin' nuts screeching and darting towards the thing in the water. I follow it to investigate.

Goddamn it Fuu, get some clothes on.

She was lying on her back in the mud in the creek's shallows. Vomit was dribbling from her mouth and she was really pale. She looked dead. I crouch over her and averted my eyes as I checked to see if she was breathing. I may have seen a lot of broads naked, for some reason it seemed wrong that Fuu was and I felt that she'd kill me if I saw her like that. Instead I focused on her face to see if she was alive. Her breathing was really shallow and weak. Shit. She was burning up with fever.

I lugged her out of the creek and quickly wrapped her up in her kimono. She must have eaten something that made her sick. I looked around and noticed a thicket of berries that looked like it had been recently stripped of its fruits. Stupid bitch. Eating unfamiliar, and obviously poisonous berries, she was probably just hungry. I hefted her up over my shoulder and headed back to camp. The rat leaped up on to a tree and then on to Fuu's back next to my ear. It sounded as though it were purring.

Shit this sucks.

I dropped her as soon as I got to the campsite and she landed with a thud.

"You are such a brute. Tossing down an incapacitated woman like a bag of rice. You really are an idiot," murmured Samurai Queer-ass as he stood up after tending to the restarted fire, brushing his hands together and he promptly crouched over Fuu checking her over.

"You moron, she's out cold, she wouldn't have felt jack shit. Stupid bitch must have eaten some poisonous berries and she got sick during her bath or something...what is it with women and cleanliness?" I grumbled as I sat down heavily against a tree. This muggy air really does suck the energy out of you.

"Well at least she cares about hygiene," Jin remarked as he sniffed the air in my direction, "Unfortunately I can't say that about you. When was the last time you bathed? 2...maybe three months?" I chucked a rock at him and he ducked.

"Bastard."

"Moron."

"Jackass."

"Worthless piece of shit."

"Son of a bitch."

"Nyaaaaaaaaaaahh, can'd you baaahshtaaaahrds shuht taah heehrll urp? Owwwww, graaaaawwrrrr," moaned Fuu as she curled up, groaning. Her rat made itself comfortable in her hair. Jin crouched down again and examined her again, nodding.

"She'll sleep it off and be fine. The berries she ate must have been rotten or unripe some how. Unripe berries can wreak havoc on the digestion."

"How'd you come to that conclusion asshole? You're not a doctor."

"..."

I stare at him. Then a huge grin spread across my face.

"This sort of thing happened to you before...didn't it...ha-ha-dumbass-ha-ha..."

The last thing I saw before I fell back to sleep was a very large rock.

He's got pretty good vision for not wearing his glasses.


End file.
